A Canary in Coast City
by aliyablossom
Summary: Laurel Lance must hide out in Coast City while Team Arrow fights against Damien Darhk. Arrow season 4 spoilers (Episodes 1-18) Completely ignoring whatever comes after 4x18.
1. A Canary in Coast City

"Hey, I'm gonna take my break," Laurel said to her manager as she finished sweeping the floor. The old woman nodded as she continued to water the potted plants in the greenhouse. Laurel took off her smock and walked out of Sherwood Florist to the café across the street for a quick sandwich. Despite having a law degree and being the assistant district attorney in Star City, her days were now mostly spent arranging bouquets and managing the cash register. For half an hour, however, she would eat alone at a table outside while flipping through twitter feeds about what was happening in Star City. The mainstream media had been silenced thanks to Damien Darhk, the reason she was now in hiding.

After considerable arguing and refusing to leave, a failed attempt at her life caused the team as well as her father to push her out of the city, in fear that Darhk would find her and kill her for Quentin's betrayal and disobedience. By the time she realized what they were doing, Laurel was being escorted to a train and on her way to Coast City. She had tried to immediately get back to Star City, but it seemed that Felicity had set up multiple barriers in various transportation computer systems in preventing her from coming home. She had no idea who the old woman of Sherwood Florist was, but it was here that she was directed to go by Oliver, and she suspected that the woman would give her team updates if she tried to leave.

As she browsed through updates given by various citizens, she noticed that Green Arrow and the rest of the team seemed to be gaining an upper hand against Darhk. Her heart pounded as she thought of somehow getting back to help her friends.  
"Now why would the pretty flower girl be looking up grim details of what's happening over at Star City?"  
Laurel whirled around in her chair and looked up to see a man wearing a Ferris Aircraft jacket grinning at her. "Reasons that don't involve you," she said as she took a bite of her sandwich. The man slid into the seat next to her and flagged the waiter to get him a coffee. Hal Jordan frequented Sherwood Florist regularly, almost always for a different girl. "Listen Daisy,"  
"It's Dinah."  
"Sure. If you're thinking about visiting that town, my friend I think you should reconsider."  
"We're not friends."  
"Sure. Look that place seems to have more masked vigilantes running around than any other city, and it's still falling apart. I don't understand why the National Guard hasn't been brought into that place yet."  
Laurel looked at Hal as he took his cup of coffee from the waiter. "They're going to win. The Green Arrow and his team, they'll win. They always do."  
Hal peered over his cup as he took a sip of coffee. "You sound like you have personal experience. You have a boyfriend living there or something?"  
"My father lives there. And some friends," she took another bite of her sandwich.  
Hal gently put his cup down and stared at Laurel. "Are you from Star City? Are you like a refugee of some sorts?"  
"Of some sorts I guess. Oh look at that, my break is over, gotta get back to work, I'll see you later." Laurel stood up to walk back to the flower shop.  
"Hey!"  
Laurel turned around.  
"Welcome to Coast City then," he smiled.  
Laurel smiled back and crossed the street to return to her shift. If only she could return back to her life.


	2. Dine and Dash

The old woman at the flower shop had given her keys to the apartment above the store and though it was comfortable enough, it was also small enough for Laurel to feel like a caged bird. She first started to use her anxious energy by running in the morning. She would seek out new routes to get a better idea of what her new city was like. Soon she felt like she was starting to lose muscle mass and decided she needed to find a gym to get back in shape. She started to plan her jogging routes by making a new gym she found online as her destination. She would then stop by at the end of her run and see what the atmosphere was like. She had tried to find a gym similar to Ted's back home, one that was welcoming to newcomers, small and most importantly, one that offered a new set of skills.

The day Darkh stabbed her was the day Oliver decided enough was enough. She was sure she was laying on her deathbed that day and gave her goodbyes with her last breath asking Oliver to protect her father and sister. However, Oliver gave her some form of herb when they were alone. The herb caused her to seize and slow her heart rate enough to make it seem like she had passed. Oliver then used the very real reactions from her family and friends to confirm to the public that Laurel Lance was dead. He had then told her father and the rest of the team the truth and planned to steal her body before she made it to the morgue. When she woke up it was on a train with Roy sitting next to her. "You'll be okay," he assured a disoriented Laurel. "Welcome to Star City exile," he smiled weakly. "Look, there's a chance you won't be able to go back." He dropped her off at Sherwood Florist where the Russian woman took her in and put her to work. Roy gave her a number to contact him and then left saying he had to go back. Laurel didn't get clarification where he was going "back" to. Laurel hit her punching bag thinking about their conversation. She dropped her hands after her anger subsided and decided to lift weights instead.

"Make sure you don't throw your back out, Deena."

"It's Dinah."

"Whatever," Hal said smiling as he walked up to Laurel. "You sure don't seem like the gym rat type."

"And what type would that be? Surely not you," Laurel retorted as she lifted her first set. Hal stood back amused.

"Hey now, not sure if you noticed but I work for Ferris Aircraft as a test pilot and we pilots have to be in impeccable shape."

"Is that right?" Laurel smirked at Hal who crossed his arms in annoyance and then let out a deep breath.

"And, I guess, I'm also trying to impress Carol Ferris who is standing by the juice bar."

"So you're trying to sleep with your boss's daughter, nice one Hal," Laurel shook her head. She looked over at the woman who was on the phone talking emphatically to someone else.

"Well, you see, she hired me. So technically, I'm trying to sleep with my boss."

Laurel couldn't help but laugh, as she dropped her weights.

"Yes! Smile, laugh, make it seem like you're into me, Dine."

"It's Dinah!" Laurel playfully punched Hal on the shoulder. Hal rubbed the bruise that was surely forming, a bit surprised at her strength.

"Okay okay, Dinah! You gonna help me?"

"No," Laurel said smiling and shaking her head. "I think a woman like that is above playing the types of games you want to play. And what happened to your silver tongue? Does she make you that nervous?"

Hal rolled his eyes. "You're not a very fun person."

"Oh if you want fun," Laurel trailed off and pointed to chin bar. "I bet I could do more than you."

"HA. Bring it."

Hal was huffing and puffing by chin up # 47. Laurel was an autopilot as she did her 64th chin up. Lost in her memories of training at Ted's gym and with Nyssa, she didn't hear Hal sputter out his defeat until he touched her leg. "What are you doing down there?" she asked snapping back into her new reality.

"Preserving what little dignity I have left," he said looking up at her a bit concerned. "The boss is calling me back so it looks like I'm heading out, I'll see you later okay?"

Laurel dropped down to the mat. "Yea I got a nice bouquet for your girlfriend of the week all set up and ready for you." He smiled and waved his hand as he walked back towards Carol Ferris. He stopped and walked back.

"Listen, what about we grab dinner tonight, just as friends!" he rushed with his hands up before Laurel could say no. "You're new in town, and as a new friend, I hope I can call myself that since I don't really see you talkin' to anyone else besides ole Galina, let me show you around the city?" Laurel looked at Hal unsure. She finally nodded.

"Alright, pick you up at 7!" he said and jogged back towards his boss.

* * *

"So what exactly is the problem with asking her out?" Laurel inquired as she placed a mouthful of rice into her mouth. They had ended up in the back of a Cuban restaurant and the conversation between the two had been mainly about his employment at Ferris Aircraft and his relationship with Carol.

"There's no problem with me, believe me. I mean, before her father retired she and I were, well we were a thing," Hal chewed on a piece of his chicken before continuing, "but when she took over she decided that she would not get involved with her employees." He sighed. "So here I am, constantly trying to get over her." He took another bite of his dinner and looked at Laurel. She had a sad smile on her face. She reached over and placed her hand over his.

"I'm sorry, Hal. You really like her a lot, huh?" Hal pulled his hand away and shook his head.

"Hey now, you're making it out to be a bigger deal than it is," he said with a smile. He paused and then looked at her seriously. "Can I ask you something?"

Laurel tensed but nodded.

"What, what happened to you in Star City? Sometimes I look at you and it's like you're not even here. When you were boxing and lifting today, there was this expression on your face. Like you've been through war and trust me I know what that looks like. I was in the United States Air Force." Laurel sat there stunned that she had been such an open book. "Dinah, I'm not sure if that's your name or not but-"

"It is."

Hal smiled. "Okay, well Dinah, you're not in Star City anymore. That place is rough and while Coast City isn't perfect, I assure you there are no crazy psychopaths trying to take over this town." _BOOM!_

"EVERYONE ON THE GROUND NOW!"

Laurel and Hal looked towards the door where armed masked men had crashed in. "NO ONE TRY TO BE A HERO AND NO ONE WILL GET HURT."

"I can't believe this," Hal muttered as he and Laurel fell to the floor. "Looks like I spoke too soon."

Laurel eyed the amount of men and looked around to see the amount of exits. She didn't have her canary collar or outfit anymore, but it didn't mean she couldn't do something. If she could get behind the bar she could potentially surprise them and take some of them out, creating a diversion long enough to allow others to escape.

"C'mon we're outta here. There's an exit in the back if we can crawl to the back wall quickly enough." Hal whispered in her ear.

"What? I'm not leaving all these people!"

Hal looked at her as if she was crazy. "Dinah, _trust me_. It'll be okay, but we gotta go."

"You can go," she said firmly. She then turned away and continued to formulate a plan.

After staring in disbelief at Laurel, Hal quickly looked around to see where the armed men were. Two of them were by the front door, another by the side exit, and the other two methodically walking around and ripping jewelry, watches, and wallets from the restaurant patrons. Making sure he wasn't seen, Hal crawled to the back wall and slipped into the manager's office where Laurel assumed he would escape through a window. She slowly crawled towards the back wall as well but instead crawled towards the armed man near the side exit. She suddenly felt the barrel of a gun on her head. "And where do you think you're going?" One of the men from the front exits had spotted her. "I said don't be a hero and you won't get hurt." He put his finger on the trigger. Laurel stared back at the man with the gun pointing at her forehead. She was just about to push his arm into the ceiling when a green beam suddenly came crashing through window and stunned her assailant, throwing him back into a table.

"It's Green Lantern, we're saved!" whispered an older man who had been dining near Laurel and Hal. Laurel twisted around, confused, and saw a man glowing in green and wearing a green suit floating into the restaurant through the window.

"Now that's no way to impress a lady," the man said as he landed in front of Laurel. As the other men turned their weapons on him, he pointed his hand out and beams flew out and manifested as several hands pulling the guns away from the men. Laurel turned and saw the man she was originally trying to take out pull out another gun from his ankle and aim it at Green Lantern's back. She quickly sprung up and kicked the gun out of the man's hand, and with another kick to the head, successfully subdued him. She then shoved him into the mini jail cell Green Lantern had formed for the other four men. He turned to her and smiled. "Thanks." He then started to float again and flew off with the men heading towards the nearest police department.

Laurel sank back to the floor and put her head against the wall trying to process what she had just seen. She sat there for twenty minutes before realizing that reporters had made their way into the restaurant and were asking diners about what had happened. She slipped out the side exit she was near before anyone could point her out and quickly returned back to her apartment.


	3. What's a Green Lantern?

"You're supposed to be laying low," Quentin sighed on the phone.  
"Didn't know Star City had the time to report on other cities' crimes," Laurel said as she leaned against the register counter. "How did you find out? Only two publications reported that there was a female that assisted in the capture of the criminals. Not one publication mentioned anything else about me."  
"I had a sneaking suspicion that you just confirmed," Quentin replied. Laurel kept silent, waiting for his lecture. "We have our eyes on Coast City's media as well, just so we're aware of what's going on in your part of the country. Should've also realized that you might go looking for trouble as well."  
"I didn't go looking for trouble, I was at a restaurant and men stormed in. I'm not going to stand by while people are victimized, I wasn't raised that way," Laurel snapped. She could here typing and murmuring in the background. "Are you in the bunker?" She heard the typing and the whispering stop.  
"Yeah, I'm with everyone else. They're worried about you too. Just, be safe, okay?"  
"I'll try to be on my best behavior," she sighed. "How are things going over there? I heard that Team Arrow captured a good amount of Ghosts in the past two weeks."  
"Yea, we're getting there. We were able to confiscate that dumb statue and destroy it again," Lance said. He paused and then muttered, "Don't understand why it was put back together in the first place."  
Laurel heard the bell ring in the front of the shop letting her know a customer had come in.  
"Anyway," Lance continued, "the pieces were scattered across the country thanks to Allen. But Darhk's still in the wind."  
Laurel didn't say anything. Finally she whispered "Dad, a customer's here, I have to go."  
"Okay, love you,"  
Her eyes welled up. "I love you too." She quickly turned her phone off and wiped her eyes.

She looked up to see Hal Jordan in front of her. "You okay?" he asked.  
"Never better. Was wondering where you went after last night," she said with a smile, tears still trapped in her eyelashes.  
"About that, I hate that I abandoned you. Hope you don't think I'm too much of a coward."  
"Only if you don't think I'm too stubborn and hard-headed."  
"Well then I guess we both don't think too highly of each other, huh?" he said smiling. Laurel crossed her arms and smiled back.  
"But seriously, I'm sorry. All I could think about was getting help and-"  
Laurel shook her head. "No," she let out a deep breath. "You did the right thing. I was the one that was reckless." She slouched down on the counter and put her head in her hands. "I'm just, I, well I have a hard time leaving people. It's become a habit for me to fight back when the lives of others are in danger."  
"That's a pretty exhausting habit Dinah," he said as he walked to a wall of ordered bouquets that were waiting to be picked up. "But I think I understand what you're saying."  
"Third row, fourth one from the left."  
Hal followed Laurel's directions and grabbed the sunflowers that were bunched together with coral roses. "How much?"  
"$65. Ferris must be paying you well," Laurel said as Hal reached into his pocket.  
"Well enough," Hal replied.  
"Hal, what is a Green Lantern?"  
Hal looked up from his wallet to see Laurel's furrowed brow staring back at him. "That's what they've been calling him on all the news stories. What is he? How did he know where to find us?"  
"Yea, I bumped into him when I got out and was on my way to the station, he's our city's hero or as you call them our 'mask.'"  
"I didn't know there were more vigilantes outside of Star City and Central City."  
"He's not a vigilante he's a hero, Dinah. Same as the Flash. Actually, probably even more powerful than the Flash," Hal said snidely. Laurel tilted her head and narrowed her eyes at Hal's enthusiasm.

"What?" he asked.

"Why does he call himself Green Lantern?"

"Well why does the Green Arrow call himself the Green Arrow?" Hal asked, clearly annoyed. Laurel was a bit taken aback at the sudden outburst.

"Cause he wears green and shoots arrows," Laurel easily replied.

"Well what about Black Canary? She wears black but does she shoot out little birds at people?" he asked. Laurel was silent. She had known that Green Arrow had been known outside of Star City but other than Cisco, she didn't realize others had picked up on her name as well.

"She has this scream?" Laurel didn't want to explain the meaning of her name. She knew it would giver her away. Hal looked at Laurel suspiciously. "Had a scream right? Cause last I heard, she had died."

"Right, I just, it's still hard to believe she's gone, you know?" Laurel said quickly.

"You know her personally?" Hal asked. He started to look at her hair which she had dyed back brown the day she had arrived in Coast City.

"No, but she saved me. I was heading towards a path of no return and the Black Canary pulled me back," Laurel said honestly. She knew that if she hadn't put her energy into becoming the Black Canary, she would have probably returned back to alcohol after losing Sara. She looked back at Hal. "It's really strange that I haven't heard of this Green Lantern before. Especially since he's flying around and shooting green laser beams from his hands," she laughed.

Hal decided to ignore the fact that Laurel had changed the subject and tried not to look offended at the fact that no one had heard of Green Lantern. "Well he seems to have popped up around the same time the attacks on your city started. I would think the terrorism that's going on over there sure overshadows a guy in a green suit zipping around the city." He grabbed a glass vase that was sitting on the side of counter and handed it to Laurel. "Can you fill that with water for me?"

Laurel took the vase and turned to the sink on the back wall. "True, my city has bigger issues but I think a man flying would be enough to garner national attention." She took the vase now filled with water back to the register counter. Hal unwrapped the plastic wrap and placed the flowers in the vase.

"I'm not sure what to tell you Dinah," Hal shrugged. "But you're right, the Green Lantern does deserve national praise."

Laurel shook her head and crossed her arms. "You speak as if you know him."

"I've bumped into him here and there especially during an aircraft accident when he first came on the scene."

Laurel was curious now. "And what did he say? How did he get his powers? From the particle accelerator explosion?"

Hal shook his head and casually said "No he's not part of that mess, he's from space."

"He's an alien!?"

"NO, wait what? I don't know, uh, he said he's something like an officer of space. What's with the questions?"

"An officer of space?" Laurel was unconvinced. She noticed Hal fidgeting. "You know, I was a lawyer in Star City. A pretty good one. I can tell when people are lying to me," she said with a slight smirk. Hal stopped moving and looked at Laurel with a smile.

"A lawyer? Well that explains it. No Dinah, you're used to criminals lying to you. And I'm no criminal."

He then pushed the vase towards Laurel.

"For you."

Laurel stared at him. "Uh, I thought last night wasn't a date."

"It wasn't," he said as he took the plastic and threw it in the trash. "But, as a friend, I thought maybe some flowers would brighten up that abysmal apartment upstairs." He smiled and gave Laurel a quick wave before walking towards the front door. "Thank you," Laurel said quietly, but loud enough for Hal to hear.

She watched the pilot walk out the door knowing he was keeping something from her. _Lay low._ Her father's words echoed in her head as she continued to stare at the door thinking of how to find out more about Green Lantern.


End file.
